Introduction by Anthony Lewis.The Torture Papers consists of the so-called "torture memos" and reports that the U.S: government officials wrote to authorize and to documente coercive interrogation and torture in Afghanistan, Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. This volume of documents presents for the first time a compilation of materials that prior to publication have existed only piecemeal in the public domain. The Bush Admistration, concerned about the legality of harsh interrogation techniques, understood the desirability of establishing a legally viable argument to justify such procedures. The memos and reports in this volume document the systematic attempt of the U.S. government to authorize the way for torture techniques and

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coercive interrogation practice, forbidden unter international law, with the concurrent express intent of evading liability in the aftermath of any discovery of these practice and policies.